Effects of using black cummin extract during incubation on hatchability of broilers

In this study, changes in hatchability in broiler embryos were investigated depending on breeding age and the level of herbal extract application at different doses in the incubator. For this purpose, a total of 1920 eggs obtained from Ross 308 broiler young (27 weeks), middle aged (36 weeks) and old (60 weeks) breeder flocks were used. During the incubation period, these eggs were sprayed with 4 different levels (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 ml / l) of water-soluble black seed (Nigella sativa) as herbal extract. At the end of the incubation period, early, middle and last stage embryonic deaths and hatchability data were compared. It was found that breeding age affect early and mid-term embryo deaths and hatchability. Early and mid-term embryonic deaths were lower and hatchability was higher in young and middle-aged breeders (p < 0.05). On the other hand, it was found that there were numerical differences in extract application depending on the application level and these differences were more significant especially in old, but these differences were not significant (p > 0.05). Similarly, the interaction effect was not significant (p > 0.05). As a result of the research, it was found that the breeding age affected almost all of the hatching parameters examined and that the application of black seed extract in the incubator did not provide a significant difference in the research conditions. It is thought that it would be beneficial to continue the studies related to the subject and to carry out more detailed studies including the growing and slaughtering stages related to the use of different plant extracts alone or in combination with different application levels.